One of my passions in exploring is to frequently check my position on a map. It gives me great
pleasure to know where I am in the environment. A portion of this interest is based on a desire to
not get lost but most of the motivation comes from seeing how I fit into the terrain. Knowing what's
around the corner or over the ridge is a turn-on in itself. Usually I rely on topographic maps to
provide the orientation, but in the fin landscapes of Moab such maps are worthless for their lack
of detail. My map case here holds a set of print-outs of Google Earth views of the landscape. These
are much better than maps for this kind of terrain. While taking this shot I realized I had passed
beneath an arch a few minutes earlier: it's at upper left. The next photo shows it better.

My position on the ground is at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view:
http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=38542501&x=-109614319&z=17&l=0&m=a&v=2 .

My photographic assistant, Joe Tripod, is unimpressed by arches, fins,
and the like. But he does get excited when he sees a monopod.

.